House increases controls on Marianas

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Miami Herald

House increases controls on Marianas
Posted on Tue, Dec. 11, 2007
By JIM ABRAMS
Associated Press Writer


WASHINGTON -- The Marianas in the western Pacific, tainted by past associations with lobbyist Jack Abramoff and reports of sweatshop labor, would come under greater federal immigration and labor law controls with legislation that passed the House on Tuesday.

The bill, approved by voice vote, extends immigration law and creates a federally run guest-worker program in the U.S. Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, which includes Saipan and 13 other islands north of Guam.

It would also give the commonwealth a delegate in the House with limited voting powers. Currently Guam, American Samoa, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and the District of Columbia have a delegate in the House. A similar bill is pending in the Senate.

The islands gained a reputation in the 1990s for garment factories where clothing, carrying "made in U.S." labels, was produced by foreign workers, often from China and the Philippines, under abusive, sweatshop conditions.



Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation/AP/story/340580.html

[pinto]

1. On first read, a good move. The Marianas labor conditions and Rep. "blind eye" have gone on too long

[brentspeak]

2. Not good enough; items made in the Marianas should be required to say "Made in The Marianas"